Richard Falk, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, made the remarks in a searing 22-page report to the world body’s Human Rights Council on Monday.

He also criticized Israel’s attacks on Palestinian farmers in the Gaza Strip, saying that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire. He added that Israel violates Palestinians’ rights to work, education, freedom of movement, and assembly.

Gaza has been blockaded since June 2007, a situation that has caused a decline in the standards of living, unprecedented levels of unemployment, and unrelenting poverty.